Blood In The Water
by CinderCiela
Summary: The curse is broken, and everyone is living happily ever after. That is, until a man with eyes of golden fire changes all that? Have you ever wondered why the Sohma family got cursed, in the very beginning? The new president of the Prince Yuki Club may hold they key. The Sohma family is being destroyed, and what if the source of that destruction is too powerful for Tohru to stop?
1. An Encounter At School

**Hello! This is my first fanfic, so please, have mercy.**

 **Now let's pretend that the curse was broken, and everyone lived their little happily-ever-afters one year _earlier_ , and that's why Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki are still in school, and Shigure still hasn't moved into the main house yet.**

 **Also, reviews would be _greatly_ appreciated, so please do remember to review (a fav and follow wouldn't hurt either).**

 **Anyways, please enjoy _Blood In The Water_!**

* * *

A _young man walked into a crowded bar full of several women. As he sat down, a wretched woman walked up to him._

 _"My, my, if it isn't that lonely fox. Come in for a drink, son? Or maybe a quick lay?" The old women asked the boy, cupping his chin in her slender inhuman fingers._

 _The young man pushed the old hag aside, his auburn hair flying as he did so._

 _The woman sneered. "You know, I hear that recently, your old woman's wish was, ehe heh," She turned the boys face towards hers once again smiling harshly as she did so. "...broken."_

 _The boy bolted up out of his seat._

No. No.

 _He turned towards the wretched hag, spitting fire and screaming, "No! That's not true! You liar!"_

 _Another woman mocked him. "Aww, you know it is true. It really is a pity though. Oh well, just like Kanagurumi to go around doing_ stupid _things."_

 _The boy ran out of the bar, hot, fiery tears streaking down his face._

No, it's not true. It can't be.

NO.

 _He ran and ran and continued to run, mumbling a single word to himself while doing so._

 _"Sohma..."_

* * *

"I can't believe we're finally in our last year of high school, Yuki-kun!" Tohru Honda smiled as she walked to school with Yuki and Kyo Sohma.

The boys nodded. So much had happened during the summer, it was almost impossible to imagine going back to school. Once the curse had broken, it seemed almost _too_ perfect.

 _Well, happily-ever-afters must exist after all,_ Yuki thought to himself as he took in the warm sun and cool breeze that engulfed his being.

It was true, everyone had gotten their deserved happy ending. So why did it feel so strange going back to school with Kyo-kun and Honda-san?

When the trio arrived at the school, there it was, waiting to greet Yuki... the Prince Yuki Fanclub, also known as the-weird-schoolwide-organization-that-stalks-Yuki-Sohma.

"Yuki! Look over here!"

"Sohma-kun, I have something for you!"

"Yuki-kun, our new president wants to meet you!"

Yuki smiled at his fans, and turned back to Tohru and Kyo, saying, "Sorry, but I have to go meet with the rest of the student council now."

"Of course! You go right on ahead, Yuki-kun!" Tohru smiled, waving Yuki goodbye.

Yuki was rather disappointed when he knew he wasn't going to see Machi, as she was on a vacation right now. He sighed and walked into the building when-

"Yuki! Come here! There's someone that wants to meet you!"

A girl whom Yuki had never met grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him into the school building, running as if there were no tomorrow.

"P-Please, miss, slow down!" Yuki protested, but the girl continued to be energetic.

"Sorry, your highness, but the President just _has_ to meet you!"

Yuki was then hurled into a room full of several girls, each of them squealing of the sight of the Prince, whose face was being shoved into that of the Prince Yuki Club's newest president.

Yuki found it rather odd that the president of Pri-Yuki was _male_. And he didn't look in any way feminine, either. He had long, blood red hair that reached his shoulders and eyes that were nothing less than sheer, blazing golden fire. As Yuki starred into those eyes, he felt something strange, something inhuman, and something cold. The boy had a rather thin build, but he was tall, ridiculously tall and making Yuki feel tiny in his presence.

The red-haired boy held out a hand, and smiled boldly. "Yuki Sohma! It is _indeed_ grand that we are to finally meet! My name is Ichiru Ayakashi, but please, call me Foxy!" He voice was not unlike that of a con artist, slimy and cold, slippery and deceptive.

Yuki stuttered and starred in awe and wonder at the boy - more like a _man_ \- in front of him. "I-I'm Yuki Sohma..."

"Of _course_ I know who you are! Why else would I have joined this silly little fan club of yours, you fool! But actually," He firmly placed his hands on Yuki's small shoulders, almost crushing him under his weight. Yuki could've sworn he felt the boy dig his claws into his skin - but why would he have claws?

"I have something to ask of you, Yuki."

* * *

Yuki was now sitting in an empty classroom, positive his had missed the first class of his new term. _Sigh..._ it couldn't be helped, though, could it? Ichiru Ayakashi had wanted to speak with him.

"I hear you've recently let a young girl into your home." He said calmly and collectedly. There was something simply _odd_ about this boy, something Yuki simply couldn't place. But his bringing Tohru into their awkward conversation only made his nerves grow more alert.

"Yes, Tohru Honda has been living with my cousins and me for quite some time now. Why do you ask?" Yuki wondered.

"I know this is a terrible thing to ask, but I was wondering if you might show me the same hospitality. As you can probably tell, I am far too old to be going to school here. I am actually twenty-six years of age, and I had dropped out of high school when my parents died, so I could get a job and provide a home for myself. My house unfortunately burned down in a terrible fire no more than a week ago, and I cannot afford to stay in a hotel for much longer. Please, I would not be much trouble. If you tell me no, I suppose I can still try and find refuge elsewhere, though."

Yuki starred into those eyes of golden fire; the man was not lying, and Shigure's house was large. Still, it might be a problem if everyone in the school knew that the Sohmas took in anyone in need of a place to stay...

"I will ask my cousin if we can take in another guest." Yuki huffed, not really looking forward to asking Shigure if there was enough space for this monster of a man to stay in.

The man beamed a gleeful smile of joy. "Thank you! Thank you much! This good deed will not go unrewarded, your Highness! I will only treat you with the upmost kindness and respect!" The man who called himself Foxy then left the room, leaving a rather confused and exhausted Yuki behind. _I'm already so behind anyway... Might as well just cut class today..._

* * *

"Another guest, you say? Hmm, my house is getting full! Maybe I should accept Akki's offer to move in!" Shigure mused at the thought of another person - a _grown man_ , no less - inhabiting his lair.

"He seems to just need a place to stay for a while, until he gets back on his feet. He seemed... like an interesting person, Gure-san." Yuki said the last part quietly. He still felt that _something_ , that something irresistibly strange about the man with eyes of golden fire.

"I guess it can't be helped... He may move in as soon as he likes. _Sigh... It looks like I'll be spending a lot of time at the Main House, soon..._ " Shigure got up from his comfortable seat in his old chair, grunting as he did so.

He picked up his house line. "I simply _must_ inform Akki dear of this news!"

* * *

No more than a day later, a man with hair the color of blood and eyes that danced and sang with golden fire stood on the front doorstep of a house belonging to a certain Shigure Sohma.

" _Well then, you are most certainly NOT what I pictured..._ " Shigure mumbled to himself upon opening his front sliding door.

The man lit up with glee. "Are you the cousin of Yuki I've heard so much about?! Shigure, isn't it?! It's so great to meet you! I am Ichiru Ayakashi, but please, _do_ call me Foxy!"

Shigure was a little taken aback. _This guy is worse than Aaya..._ "Well hello there, Foxy-san! Yes, I am 'Gure, please make yourself at home here!"

"Well, this _is_ a _beautiful_ home! It almost reminds me of my old place... Ahahaha! I feel at home already!" The sauntered into Shigure's house with brass, stopping and admiring Shigure's not-that-well-furnished living room.

Shigure starred at the strange man, trying his hardest to read him. His was certainly something else. He acted much like Aaya, but his voice was raspy and slimy, the voice of a man who would trick you. When he looked into the man's eyes, he saw fire, and expected to burn, but instead felt an incredible, inhuman cold that no force on Earth could rival.

Reading people was Shigure's _best_ feature, and he could tell that Foxy-kun was going to be tricky.

"Well, Gure-san, where might I be staying in this fine establishment?"

Shigure snapped out of his trance-like thoughts. "O-Oh! Go upstairs, first room on the right is my room. You may use it."

"Thank you much! I will go sort my things!" He ran up the first flight of stairs in no time at all. "Again, thank you!"

* * *

Ichiru sat in Shigure's room, holding something delicate in his hands. It was a cup, filled with Sacred Sake. In the sake, was a picture. A picture of a beautiful woman in a royal kimono, with long, long silver hair that reflected off the moonlight. Her skin was creamy and pink, and a starnge smile danced on her thin, pale lips. She had a short pointed nose. When one saw this picture, they'd think this woman to be the absolute picture of beauty, and expect to see beautiful eyes, but, alas, her eyes were covered with silk bandage.

Ichiru held the cup close to his face and murmured, all too quiet for even the dead to hear, "There's blood in the water, now, Kanagurumi-sama. Everything is going to work out. Everyone is going to be punished." And with that, he drank from the cup.


	2. Meeting Ichiru and Giving Akki a Gift

**Hello, and greetings! First of all, I'd like to give a shoutout to... _nobody?!_ Is this story really _that_ bad, that I get no reviews, I get no favs, I get no follows? Please, if you like the story even a _little_ bit, it only takes like 5 measly seconds to type up and post a review. It would mean the _world_ to me.**

 **A _furisode_ is a Japanese kimono worn by single women.**

 **A _uchikake_ is a formal garment worm outside of the actual kimono. Akito is often seen wearing one.**

 **BTW~Akki is my fav character, so I write her just tiny bit OOC. But then again, this _is_ post-manga, so maybe not.**

 **Anyways, enjoy _Blood In The Water_.**

* * *

"Omigosh, are you Tohru Honda?! It is so great to finally meet you!"

The moment Tohru walked through the door to Shigure's house, she was greeted by an unfamiliar whirl of red hair. The man lunged at her throat, hugging - actually, more like strangling - her, and yelling at the top of his lungs. When he pulled back, Tohru felt something strange upon seeing his eyes. Such fiery, burning, golden eyes, yet she felt so unbelievably cold.

"Uh, um, hi! I am Tohru Honda! And you are...?" Tohru asked sweetly, rather curious as to what this odd man was doing in Shigure's house.

The tall monster of a man bowed, shaking his head in shame. "Oh, I am so sorry! Where are my manners! I am Yuki's friend, Ichiru Ayakashi. But please, call me Foxy!"

Yuki shot him an icy glare. "You are _not_ my friend! Please forgive me Honda-san for not telling you, but Ichiru-kun here was in need of a place to stay for a while, and I offered him refuge here. I hope you're okay with that."

Tohru nodded her head violently. "Oh, yes, of course, of course, it's completely fine! But, um, Ayakashi-kun, where will you be staying? There's not too much room here."

"He will be staying in my room."

Everyone turned to see Shigure uncharacteristically dressed in a suit and tie, with three large suitcases and a duffel bag. He was somewhat struggling to carry his oversized luggage down the last flight of steps, and failing miserably as one particularly heavy suitcase tumbled downward.

"Oh! Shigure!" Tohru called, rushing to his aid immediately. "Then where will you sleep?"

"I've accepted Akito's offer to move into the main house. This way, there's enough room."

"Who is this 'Akito' character I hear of? Are they your lover? You know, I was deep in love once." Ichiru boasted loudly and annoyingly.

"Wow! Really? What happened?" Tohru asked, eagerly interested.

Ichiru's face suddenly hardened, he's eyes growing dark and firm. "A long, long time ago, I was introduced to a woman when I was very young. She really wasn't a very good person, but I grew to love her. I loved her more than anything in my heart, so much so that it _hurt_. It _ached_ with such force that even being around her made my feel _intoxicated_. But I digress. Anyways, one day she made a truly terrible mistake, and left forever. I knew I'd never be able to see her again. In fact, I just recently heard that she passed."

Tohru looked rather sad. "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that... Oh! On a much happier note, Shigure, would you mind if I came to visit Akito with you? I have something I'd like to give her."

Shigure smiled. "That would be a fine idea, Tohru!"

The peppy brunette then left the house with Shigure, and not too long afterwards Yuki told Ichiru he was going to work on his garden.

"Kyo will be coming home soon, I think, but don't mind him. He's just an idiot." Yuki stated with a warm smile.

"Oh yes, I'd love to meet the other resident of the house! Now you go plant and pamper to your heart's content! I will be completely okay here!" Ichiru fired back with a bonce of his bloody locks.

Yuki smiled once more, then left. Ichiru sat there, trying to keep himself entertained. " _Kyo..._ " He murmured to himself, trying the name on his tongue. As he imagined his encounter with the next Sohma, his heart began to race, his blood pumping throughout his body with violence and unbelievable strength. _Kyo_ 's Zodiac spirit had been the only one Ichiru had ever encountered personally, before the Event, and he was ready to meet the Sohma who's body had housed the spirit, even if the spirit itself was gone now.

"Tohru? I'm here!"

Ichiru turned to hear the source of the voice, which was a boy with carrot-colored hair, and a familiar smell and feeling. Ichiru let a sick smile dance onto his thin lips and he cocked his head to the side, focusing on Kyo.

"Hello, cat-boy."

* * *

"Akito-chan! How have you been? I haven't seen you in forever!" Tohru screamed as she slammed herself, full force into Akito's fragile body.

"O-Oh, hello, Tohru-san. P-Please, uh, get off." Akito mumbled, trying to breath as Tohru was quite literally strangling her.

"Oh yes! Of course! I'm sorry!"

Tohru looked at Akito from head to toe. She really was beautiful now that her hair was long enough to style. She was wearing a blue furisode and her now shoulder-length hair was curled, with flowers and tiny gems woven into it.

"Akki dear! You look so much bigger than normal! May I ask, did you stuff your dress?" A voice from behind Tohru curiously asked as Akito's face became the color of scarlet blood.

"Sh-Shigure! What are you doing here?" She stuttered, somewhat disturbed that he had paid close enough attention to her chest to notice that her bra was stuffed.

"Didn't I tell you? There's a new guest in the house!" He shouted from his car, where he was unloading his many overweight suitcases.

"Yes, but what does that have to do with you - with you _taking a vacation here_?!" She screeched back, more teasing than angry. Though, she was rather annoyed at her perverted lover's sudden appearance out of nowhere.

"The guest is staying in _my room_." Shigure said simply, as he smirked that devious smirk of his.

Akito sighed in exasperation, not wanting to deal with Shigure as she had enough of her plate at the moment. She plastered a light smile on her face, and turned towards Tohru.

"So, are you staying here as well then? That would make me very happy." She purred, thinking of possibly being able to make up for her sins involving Tohru by pampering her in her own house.

Tohru shook her head. "Sorry, but I have to work even harder to take care of Shigure-san's house without him in it. But I _do_ have a gift for you..."

The brunette reached into the bag the was slung across her arm and she pulled out something beautiful - a gorgeous golden uchikake kimono with designs a dog, rat, sheep, tiger, dragon, snake, rabbit, ox, rooster, boar, monkey, horse, and even a cat, printed on it. The silk was soft and shimmering, and it was bar more dazzling, more beautiful than any other uchikake she'd ever worn.

Akito gently took the garment from Tohru, stroking the smooth silk lightly. She turned to the younger girl and frowned. "Thank you Tohru, it's so beautiful, but... I don't ever want _you_ to give _me_ anything. I don't deserve it."

Tohru, however, shook her head violently. "Please, I insist! It took me so long to make it!"

Akito's already enormous eyes grew even huger. "You... _made_ this?"

Tohru nodded, and Akito wrapped her arms around the other girl's waist in an awkward attempt at a hug. "Thank you. Thank you _very_ much."

Tohru hugged Akito back, gently this time, trying hard not to squeeze the sickly girl's body. "You're very welcome. Well then I'd better get back home, and hopefully Kyo has taken the same liking in Ichiru as I have. Good bye, Akki-chan!" Tohru called as she walked back to Shigure's car, getting ready to be driven home.

Tohry saying the name of the new 'guest' brought her back to her senses, reminding her that she should probably meet with this man. While the Sohma family was no longer cursed, she could not have anyone digging up old secrets or anything _involving_ it.

She sighed, and walked back into the house, deciding that if she could, she would meet with him soon. There could be no loose ends, even if the curse _was_ broken.


	3. Just a Little Bit Toxic

**And here we are with yet another chapter of _Blood In The Water_. I suppose I should probably give up on this story, after all, nobody reads it. But I have to believe that maybe if I make it long enough and good enough, that someday someone will read it, and maybe even review it. Oh well. **

**Also, there is little cuss at the end of the chapter. Just ta warn ya. :)**

 ***Sigh...* Here we go again...**

* * *

"Hello, cat-boy."

Kyo felt the words echo in his ears, and he felt something strange. It was as if something were pushing against his body, a parasite trying to tear his flesh and worm it's way back in. Was this... the cat spirit? Ichiru opened his mouth and spoke again, and Kyo felt the words absorbed into his being, and in a split second, he felt the cat spirit return to him.

This voice was familiar not to Kyo himself, but his was to the cat spirit. Kyo could feel memories, hear words that were never his.

 _A shinshi? No, a fox. What are you doing in the cave of a monster, servant?_

 _You are just like me! Rejected! Abused! Punished!_

 _She doesn't_ love _you. She doesn't love anyone; all she cares about is her own power._

 _I'll kill you! I'll devour your master, and I'll watch you rot alone by yourself!_

Kyo stared into Ichiru's eyes of golden fire. He felt another familiar presence inside those eyes. There was something not right about them, for when he looked into them, he felt a terrible, sickening cold that called out domination, powering over everything that Kyo felt. He felt the cold and saw... a woman? Long silver hair, an extravagant kimono, a bandage around her eyes, and... a promise. A promise of a new life, and then... betrayal.

Ichiru stormed over to Kyo, grabbing his throat with impossible strength. "I can feel your return, spirit. Tell me, how could Kanagurumi die, but not you...? Oh well. That matters not. I'm going to need _your hate_ for that girl to help me kill her. You think you're up to the task?"

Kyo felt a voice erupt from inside him. _"You've returned, servant. I will not help you. Your master wished me into a prison yet again, even after being granted freedom. She put me into a body made so I can never defeat that Betrayer, and yet, you seek my help in avenging her? No, let me tell you, had I been able to kill her, I would've."_

Kyo felt Ichiru grip his throat tighter, and then suddenly, his body was no longer being weighed down. He could feel that the cat spirit was gone, and Ichiru then dropped him to the floor.

"Useless." The red-haired man murmured. "Maybe that 'clan leader' of yours will be more willing to... help."

With that, Kyo felt his eyelids grow heavy, and fell unconscious.

* * *

"I don't know what happened! I went out for a bit, and when I came back, he was like that!" Kyo was in car, by the looks of it. A moving one. Shigure's? It didn't matter. He was laying across the back seats with a horrible, throbbing pain in his stomach and he heard to voices up front.

"Hey, it's all right. It's not your fault. I'm going to take him to Hatori, and he'll be just fine. You should be glad that you found him." Kyo knew that voice. It was Shigure. But... who was he talking to?

The car then halted, and Kyo was thrown into the little footspace beneath the carseats. He clutched his stomach, feeling a terrible, burning poison all throught his carcass. The door by his feet opened, revealing the man that sent a disgusting jolt of fear throughout all of Kyo - Ichiru Ayakashi. He grabbed Kyo's feet with a look of distress on his face, and behind him, Kyo could feel someone - Shigure - grabbing his head.

They carried him into an enormous property like a piece of plywood, his butt sagging down the middle, daring to touch the ground. Once they arrived at a small structure, Ichiru dropped his feet to the ground and knocked on the mahogany wooden door.

A man with greasy black hair covering his left eye answered it. Hatori.

"Wh-Who are you?" Hatori asked the rather foreign man before him.

Ichiru, without words, pointed to Shigire, who said, "Kyo - he passed out, or something, and he won't wake up."

 _Won't wake up? But I'm awake, aren't I? Hey, hey! I am awake!_ Kyo thought, opening his mouth to speak. But when he did try and open it, his lips wouldn't separate. A terrible realization dawned on him. He tried to move his arm, to felx his fingers, to wiggle his toes, but they wouldn't budge. He couldn't move - something was very, very wrong.

Hatori picked him up, carrying his limp body as though it were a baby's, his butt yet again sagging in the middle. _I wish they wouldn't do that,_ Kyo thought. It hurt.

* * *

Shigure had told Ichiru that he could wander the main house a bit while he and Hatori checked on Kyo - actually, he said specifically, 'Make yourself comfortable, walk around, but don't explore. Oh - and don't speak with anyone, either.'

Ichiru, however, ignored Shigure's warnings, deciding to travel to the largest building of the main house. He knew that something very... precious lie inside. He watched the reactions of the many maids, young and old, fluttering about in panic and surprise that someone unknown had entered their domain.

He walked through the halls, disrupting cooks and cleaners in his wake. He searched each room, each narrow staircase, until he saw it - a short, rather ugly woman with hair that resembled a bird's nest. She was starring into a fish pond. He chuckled to himself. _This_ woman was honored enough to be Kanagurumi's host? That didn't seem right at all.

As he walked up to her, he prepared his voice, ready to talk with silk and kindness, uttering suggestive 'sweet baby's and 'come on, honey's.

"Aren't the fish simply, _lovely?_ That sparkling pond reflects all that is beautiful in the world." Ichiru recites, lightly resting his hands on The former god's shoulders.

Akito turned around, startled. "Wh-Who are you? What are you doing here? This is private property!" Her voice was shrill, and grew more so the angrier she got. It was disgusting, really, what a _shrew_ this woman was. Couldn't she just keep a sadistic calm, the way Kanagurumi had?

"I'm sorry," Ichiru said, backing away slightly, but his voice raised a seductive tone. "I haven't introduced myself, though I believe that hound, Shigure, has. I am Ichiru Ayakashi, current resident of Sohma Shigure's house."

"Well then what in God's name are you doing here?! Get out! You have no business in the main house!" She took off one of her shoes and was about to hurl it at him, until he snuck up behind her, grabbing her by the waist.

"Now now, there's no need for that. I simply wanted to introduce myself, is all." Ichiru let his glamour slip, just a _little_ bit, and he conjured a tiny, unbelievably small flame in his palm. He pushed it into Akito's side, letting it's warmth enter her body, and then he walked away. "Until we meet again!"

He turned around and once he was out of her ear's reach, he mumbled, "And then I'll kill you, you little shit."


End file.
